Spark into action when solar system’s at fault
HOUSEHOLDS across Australia are not getting value from their rooftop solar panels because people don’t realise their system has stopped working.
One quarter of the nation’s 1.7 million home solar setups are now more than six years old, and Origin Energy is contacting hundreds of customers each month to warn them that their system is not producing power.
Origin’s general manager retail sales, Duncan Permezel, said the energy retailer had noticed an increasing number of accounts showing solar systems that were not exporting anything to the grid.
“Over the last 12 months, we have written to about 140 customers each week to let them know they had recorded zero generation over the preceding billing period, recommending that they should have their solar systems inspected and serviced,” he said.
A faulty system can cost households thousands of dollars a year in missed feed-in tariffs, and it is recommended that people get their systems checked and panels cleaned every two or three years.
Retiree Kay Doherty, 72, moved into a home with an existing solar system and was alerted by Origin that something was not right. An investigation discovered that her system’s seven-year-old inverter had stopped working, but her insurer, APIA, covered most of the $2000 repair bill because the damage was related to electrical storms.
“It only cost me my excess, which was $300,” Mrs Doherty said. “I think solar panels are a good thing, but you have got to check to see that they’re working properly.”
The CEO of the National Electrical and Communications Association, Suresh Manickam, said every kilowatt hour not produced cost money and emissions.
“Speak to your installer or local electrician about the best ways to maintain your panels so you can maximise efficiency and savings,” Mr Manickam said.
“Panels can lose efficiency for a variety of reasons – from storm damage to foliage growing and putting them in the shade, to bird droppings.”
Mr Manickam said people should not just look at their bill for guidance. “This is a bit of a red herring. It will tell you how much money you have received, but not how much energy your system has produced – or whether it could be performing better.
“The inverter of most modern solar systems will allow you to monitor how it’s working.”